English major Alyson Dupuis didn’t originally plan to attend college so close to home, but she unexpectedly loved UL Lafayette.
“My favorite part about studying at UL Lafayette is the diversity of all the people,” Alyson said. “You never know who you’ll be in a class with or what your teacher will be like until you start the class, and it’s really great to get to know everyone to the point that, even after the class is over and done with, you can pass each other on campus and give a wave and smile to each other.”
Alyson chose to major in English because of her love of reading and desire to get into publishing.
“This will allow me to have a hand in bringing people the same joy and adventure I feel when reading, and I really want to be able to send people on an adventure,” she said.
“Everyone should have the chance to read a great book that lets them explore places they never thought imaginable.”
One of Alyson’s favorite classes was Creative Non-Fiction (ENGL 328) with professor Charles Richard.
“It was a great class to learn a different style of writing in, and it was also a great class that let me express personal experiences in a great atmosphere,” she said. “Getting to hear the way everyone expressed themselves was a great way to strengthen my own writing.”
Although Alyson has enjoyed her curriculum, her favorite thing about the English program isn’t what she’s learned in the classroom.
“I really love that we get to know everyone like a family,” she explained. “As you complete more classes and go further along in the program, you end up taking a lot of classes with the same people over and over again and really get to know each other, and we all become friends.”
Alyson’s experience at UL Lafayette has strengthened her adaptability and built confidence in her skills.
“I’ve really learned to be more open to teamwork and understand the advantages that come with working with a team of people,” she said.
“I’ve also learned to take pride in my work because I feel like a common thing with English majors is that none of us believe our work is as good as it is, so I’ve learned to see my work for what it is.”